The Demon's Brood

A History of the Plantagenet Dynasty

A vivid and colorful history of the most dominant royal dynasty in English history, from Richard the
Lionheart and Edward the Black Prince to Henry IV and Richard III

The Plantagenets reigned over England longer than any other family—from Henry II to Richard III . Four kings were murdered, two came close to deposition, and another was killed in a battle by rebels. Shakespeare wrote plays about six of them, further entrenching them in the national myth.

Based on major contemporary sources and recent research, acclaimed historian Desmond Seward provides the first readable overview of the whole extraordinary dynasty, in one volume.

Desmond Seward was born in Paris and educated at Cambridge. He is the author of many books, including The Hundred Years War; The Wars of the Roses; Eleanor of Aquitaine; Caravagio; and The Plantagenets. He lives in England.

Endorsements & Reviews

“Seward’s accomplishment is a history trustworthy both to entertain and to instruct. The most impressive aspect of the book is the way it wears its scholarship openly without thereby encumbering its popular style.”
Open Letters Monthly

“Seward reminds us of a style that has been all but lost in this thundering account of the Plantagenet family.”
Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of "The Other Boleyn Girl"

“The Tudors are popular these days, but the Plantagenets are gaining ground, as seen in the increasing number of books, movies, and television series based on the royal family that ruled England longer than any other of the sceptred isle's other dynasties. This is popular history at its most buoyant and informative.”
Booklist (starred review)

“Historian Seward (The Last White Rose: The Secret Wars of the Tudors, 2014) again serves up a neat, clear view of an English dynasty—this time, the Plantagenets. The author deftly covers 300 years of English history and more than a dozen kings. Readers will delight in the efficient completeness of this narrative. Seward is a good author to turn to for ease in reading history; his writing style is quick, vibrant and delightfully pithy in its simplicity of phrase.”
Kirkus Reviews

“A tidy volume that briefly touches upon the highs and lows of the dynasty's 14 rulers. The result is a history that provides a fairly vivid overall picture of the kings themselves. The breadth of history covered and the author's succinct style will likely make this a satisfactory choice for casual readers seeking a full but accessible history of this dynasty.”
Library Journal

“An entertaining and valuable exploration of the early Tudor period.”
The Literary Review ('The Last White Rose')

“The Last White Rose is history as it should be written: without hindsight or embellishment, but with erudition and a sense of immediacy that makes it a gripping and original read.”
Jessie Childs, author of Henry VIII's Last Victim (on 'The Last White Rose')

“Gripping and enthralling. No writer of fiction, however imaginative, could dream up more spellbinding plots than what actually happened, so skillfully recounted here.”
Robert Hutchinson, author of The Last Days of Henry VIII (on 'The Last White Rose')

“It is hard to imagine a historian more in command of his subject. The result is history as compelling as any novel.”
The Independent (on 'The First Bourbon')

“This is a splendidly and vividly written book.”
The Evening Standard (on 'A Brief History of the War of the Roses')